Bowling-alley.



I. L. LIND.

BOWLING ALLEY..

APPLICATION FILED FEB- I. 1918.

1,2s7,3e4.- I Patented Dec. 191

2 SHEETS ET I.

I. L. LIND.

BGWUNG ALLEY.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I. ms. 1,287,364.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 III Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

III

III

Qvi 54M200 I Evils cu. Punmurnm. wAsunmIoN a UNITED s'rATns PATENToniuon.

JOHN L. LIND, or BAUDE'ITE, MINNESOTA.

BOWLING-ALLEY.

T o'aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. LIND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baudette, in the county of Beltrami and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bowling-Alleys; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention "relates to bowling alleys and it relates moreparticularly to an improved pin-centering device.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved means forcentering each bowling pin of a set automatically and with greaterfacility than has heretofore been accomplished. V r

Another object of the invention is to provide for quickly, eiiicientlyand properly centering the bowling pins without the ne'- cessit'y ofmodifying the pins of ordinary construction.

Another object is to provide a device of this character in which thebowling pin seats are removable and interchangeable.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which iscomparatively simple of construction, comparatively inexpensive, anduseful, practical and effective for the purpose indicated.

Other objects of the invention may become apparent to persons who readthe following details of description in connection with the-accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is a top plan view of a portion of a bowlingalley constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1; r

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line4 1 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view take along the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating Specification of LettersPatent. Patented Dec, 10, 1918,

Application filed February 1, 1918.

Serial no. 214,921.

which similar reference characters correspond with similar partsthroughout the several views, the alley floor 10 is apertured at 11,the, aperture preferably being cylindrical as illustrated in Fig. 5.Each aperture 11 is provided with any desired number of radial andaxially extending recesses or slots 12 in each of which is secured atapering or upwardly converging block or guide 13.- However, theseguides 13 are tape-red only from a portion somewhat below the verticalcenter of the top, the lower portion having vertical sides and edges.The taper of the blocks 13 is such that their inner edges conform to thelower end portion of a ver' tical bowling pin, so that such lower endportion enters the aperture 11 and is supported by the blocks 18 of itsset, whereby the bowling pin is held in a position concentric with thecylindrical aperture 11. It will be seen, therefore, that by arrangingthe apertures 11 in the relative positions illustrated in Fig. 1, thebowling pins, when placed in the respective apertures 11, are positionedin proper relation. to one another for bowling. As regards theirvertical centers, however, it now becomes necessary to raise the bowlingpins with their bases in registry with the top surface of the alley 10.

In order to quickly and simultaneously effect the raising of the bowlingpins without shifting them laterally, I provide a series or set of basesor blocks such as illustrated in Figs l and 6, and such bases arepreferably constructed and assembled as shown in these figures, althoughmy invention is not limited to this exact construction. Referringespecially to Fig. 4, I :)referably provide a pedestal 14 of cast iron,internally and concentrically screw threaded at its top and bottom,having its top and bottom surfaces in parallel planes, and having anaperturedflange at its top. Upon the pedestal 14 I secure a block ofwood, fiber, rubber or other somewhatyielding material; this member 15being recessed centrally at its top for receiving a plate or pin seat 16of metal or other comparatively indestructible material. To the lowersurface of the plate 16 is secured a screw 17 having its threads engagedwith those formed in the upper end of the pedestal 14C. The pedestal 14and member 15 are provided with registering vertical slots 18 in whichthe guides 13 are seated.

There are as many of the devices shown in Fig. 6 as there are apertures11, and one of these members is arranged to move vertically in each ofsaid apertures 11. In order to effect such arrangement and operation ofthe base members, I provide a platform 19, and I secure each of the basemembers to said platform by means of a screw or bolt 20, as illustratedin Fig. 4. It will be seen, therefore, that each of the base members orlifters will be raised by raising the platform 19.

In order that all parts of the platform may be raised and lowered to anequal extent, I preferably provide a plurality of shafts 21, rotatablein bearings 22; and on each of these shafts I secure a spur gear wheelThese wheels are rotatable by means of a rack 24: which is adapted to beshifted longitudinally by a link 25 pivotally connected thereto at 26.The link, in turn, is pivotally connected at 27 to a lever 28 having itsfulcrum at 29. Rearward of the alley 10, I provide a hand lever 30,having its fulcrum at 31, and being pivotally connected to the lever 28by means of a link It will be seen, therefore, that the handle 30 is ina convenient position for operation by the setter-up of the bowlingpins, and that by moving the lever 30 in one direction, he shifts therack 24 in one or the other direction. Suitable guides may be providedfor the rack as indicated at 33.

On one of the shafts 21 is secured a single cam wheel or eccentric 34,While two of such cam wheels or eccentrics 34 are carried by the otherof the shafts, these three cam wheels being arranged in triangularrelation to one another, because of the triangular arrangement of thebases or lifters. IVhen the rack 2a is moved in one direction the camwheels 34: raise the platform 19, and when it is moved in the oppositedirection, the cam wheels allow the platform to descend by gravity.Rollers 35 may be employed for facilitating the ease of operation of thedevice, but these may be dispensed with when desirable.

In order to protect the rim of each aperture 11, I may provide them eachwith a ring 36 which is inlaid as indicated in Figs. 2 and 7 and thisring may be of vulcanized rubber or other yielding material, so thatthe-'sides of the bowling pins will not be dctrimentally affected bycontact therewith.

he cam wheels 34 are each in the form of an eccentric, and it is a wellknown law of mechanics, that uniform rotary movement of an eccentricimparts accelerated-andretarded reciprocating movement to an elementactuated by its conveXed surface.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this device greatly facilitatesthe setting up of bowling pins, as it is only necessary for the pins tobe tossed into the apertures 11 while the platform 19 is in its lowerposition, and the pins are automatically centered. It will also be seenthat while the pins are very quickly raised to their set position, theaccelerated and retarded raising movement thereof precludes anyprobability of lateral shifting of the pins.

Although I have described this embodi ment of my invention in minutedetail, my invention is not limited to these exact details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts, but I am entitled to make suchchanges that do not constitute a departure from the inventive ideasherewith disclosed.

hat I claim as my invention is:

1. A bowling alley comprising an apertured floor provided with upwardlydiverging guide elements in each of the apertures thereof, cushioningmeans around the upper end of each of said apertures, and means movablein said apertures for permitting the bowling pins to have their lowerends seated in said apertures and for raising said lower ends out ofsaid apertures.

2.. In a bowling alley, a floor provided with apertures therethrough,said apertures being arranged according to the desired setting of thebowling pins and each provided with a plurality of radially and axiallyextending slots, guide members arranged in the slots of each of saidapertures in such relation as to conform with the lower end portion ofan ordinary bowling pin when said lower end is in the respectiveaperture, and means movable in each of said apertures for contactingwith the lower ends of the bowling pins and raising said lower ends intoregistry with the top surface of said floor.

3. In a bowling alley, a floor provided with apertures, bowling pinguides arranged and fixedly secured in each of said apertures, saidguides having downwardly converging surfaces to conform to the shape ofthe lower tapering portion of the bowling pins, and a lifter for each ofsaid apertures and having its upper end vertically movable therein.

4:. In a bowling alley, a floor provided with apertures, bowling pinguides arranged in each of said apertures, said guides being constructedand arranged to conform to the shape of the lower end portion of thebowling pins, a lifter for each of said apertures and having its upperend movable therein, a platform 7 on which all of the lifters areseated, shafts extending horizontally under said platform, eccentrics'onsaid shafts, and means for rotating said shafts simultaneously andthereby raising all parts of said platform equally whereby all of saidlifters are raised with an accelerated and retarded movement for raisingthe bowling pins thereon in the manner specified.

5. In a bowling alley, a combined seat and lifter comprising anintegrally cast pedestal,

a block of yieldable material secured on said pedestal, a bowling pinseat of relatively indestructible material on said block, and meanscooperative with said seat for securing said blocks to said pedestal,said means also securing said seat on said block.

6. In a bowling alley, an apertured floor, inwardly extending guidesarranged in each aperture of said floor, the upper portion of each guidebeing divergent upwardly with relation to the corresponding portion ofthe adjacent guide, the lower portion of each guide being parallel withthe lower portion of the adjacent guide, and a lifter provided withslots for receiving said guides, said lifter being vertically movable insaid aperture and being guided by said guides, the upper portions ofsaid guides being effective for guiding a bowling pin to a positionconcentric with said lifter.

7 In a bowling alley, an apertured floor,

bowling pin guides in the apertures of said floor, a lifter for each ofsaid apertures and vertically movable therein, a member on which each ofsaid lifters is seated, a pair of rotary shafts extending horizontallyunder said member, a gear wheel mounted to rotate with each of saidshafts, means on each of said shafts for exerting power for lifting saidmember, a rack engaged with said gear wheels, a hand lever, and meansconnecting said hand lever with said rack for causing the latter torotate said gear wheels and shafts and thereby lifting all of saidlifters simultaneously.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presenceof twosubscribing witnesses.

' JOHN L. LIND. Witnesses:

S. M. KoRFoD, CHARLES E. LEWIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G.

